Southern Caviar

My friend Nina once described her food tastes and “high-low brow.” The same can be said of me. I was raised on Steak Ums, Ortega taco kits, Fluff N Nutter on Wonder Bread, Rice Krispies, Creamy Italian salad dressing over iceberg lettuce and canned wax beans but we were also fed fresh corn & blueberries from the roadside stand and my mom always had lots of fresh fruit around the house for snacks.

Although I like to eat healthy for the most part, I still have the taste for some of the old style food.

This bean dip serves to capture both worlds and you can make it healthier if you want to! G and I both LOVE this dip!! We can’t get enough of it. I had it at my friend Charlotte’s daughter’s birthday. I literally stood next to the bowl devouring it like a hungry wolf. Lucky for me she told me how to make it. Thanks, Char!

You need to make this the night before you plan on serving it.

All you need:

3 cans of black-eyed peas (or about 2 c dry beans)
3 bell peppers (you can do whatever colors you like! I like it colorful.)
1 small onion, finely diced (I recommend a red onion for its looks)
2 ears corn, shucked & the corn cut off (or 1 can white shoe peg corn)
1 small bottle Paul Newman Italian dressing (I used “Lite”)
handful cilantro, chopped
OPTIONAL: fresh or jarred jalapeños
OPTIONAL: 1 small jar sliced pimentos

Finely chop the peppers. You’ll want them small enough to be easily scooped up onto a chip!